Thursday, December 27, 2012

A Year in the Life: 2012

Live live to the fullest. Laugh as much as you can. Love as long as you live.

Those three sentences sum up my life in 2012. I am very fortunate to have had the adventures I have had, the wonderful family and friends in my world, and for the most part I've been pretty healthy.

I stuck to the trails for all my races but one 5K. I completed six ultras and two trail marathons and climbed five 14ers.

Here are some highlights of my favorite memories of 2012. Thank you to everyone who has been a part of it.

January
The Duel 50K - 2nd place overall female and a 50K PR

A 29 degree race! I was in heaven.

February
Rocky Raccoon 50 - My first 50-mile trail race.

Look a bunch of Asians and that white girl Lesley :)

March
Grasslands Trail Marathon - My personal worst marathon! But I ran it with my friend Chris. We started this whole ultra crazy stuff together.

Chris and I slugging it out at Grasslands.

April

Zion 100 - My first attempt at a 100. I got to mile 63 and he gave us credit for 50 miles. Martin and Lesley were there to crew and pace.

Martin: Wife #1 and Wife #2

At the top of Gooseberry Mesa.

May
Western States Training Camp - Martin runs all 3 days and I tag along for one day.

Soaking in the American River after a 20-mile run on the Western States 100 course.

June

Leadville Birthday Weekend - I climbed my first 14er -- and I'm hooked. I also got my chance to head up Hope Pass. My dream race is the Leadville 100. I'll be back up that pass one day.

At the summit of Mt. Massive.

The top of Hope Pass. I'll be back.

Western States 100 - Martin's first 100. I got to crew. He did amazing with a sub-24 hour finish!

Martin leaving Robinson Flat in some crazy weather.

July

It wasn't running related, but my son and I had an amazing time in California!

My future movie director at Universal Studios.

August
Squamish 50 - The hardest race I have ever run. I busted my tail to get in before the cut off of 14 hours, made it by less than a minute. Libby agrees to join me for the trip. Great times!

My favorite race of the year - Squamish 50.

September
Another Leadville weekend and more 14ers - Mt. of the Holy Cross, Mt. Democrat, Mt. Bross, Mt. Cameron. Martin bagged Lincoln, but I was a little nervous about the weather.

My favorite 14er so far - Mt. of the Holy Cross.

At the top of Mt. Democrat.

Wasatch 100 - Pacing and crewing Reece. I was there for his first 100 last year and I got to be there for the second 100. Martin, Chris and I could not have been more proud of his sub-30 finish!

Team Reece: Chris, me, Reece and Martin.

Bartlett Park 50K - So Libby and I decided on a Thursday to drive the next day to Memphis (yes that is 7+ hours) to race a trail ultra. Paid off, she runs a smoking PR and I placed 2nd overall female.

Rough Creek Trail Marathon - I really hate the marathon distance. This was a tough race, but I did as best as I could. Martin agreed to pace me. I didn't meet my goal, but I underestimated that Rusty Crown -- like I said in my blog, she a bitch.

Despite the run kicking my butt, I was all smiles.

October
Austin City Limits - It's not always about running, but we did run while we were there. ACL has been on my to-do list for years.

After the rain storm at Band of Skulls.

Palo Duro 50K - I wanted to give up, but I pushed on. Good thing, I snagged a 3rd place overall female win -- but it wasn't without a pretty swollen wrist and now a lovely scar.

I can't tell you how happy I was to be done.

November
Zebra Phriends 5K - A PR! The only reason I ran this race is for my friend Lesli, the race director. This is an organization that supports patients with pulmonary hypertension, which her father passed away from earlier this year. To my surprise, my Ribsy met me with about a half mile to go an ran me in -- 24:07. Still chasing that damn sub 24.